


'My Darling'

by FlameWolf



Category: Chef RPF, Gordon Ramsay - Fandom, Hotel Hell RPF, Kitchen Nightmares RPF
Genre: Angst, Basically a three chaptered Oneshot, F/M, Quick Romance, Smut, Some sweet moments, Triple-Shot, Unplanned Pregnancy, graphic birth, hidden pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-03
Updated: 2017-06-03
Packaged: 2018-11-08 08:00:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11077383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlameWolf/pseuds/FlameWolf
Summary: After Gordon Ramsay gets called to an Inn to help its problems, he and a receptionist by the name of Jade get caught up in a whirlwind romance.  Soon the pair are deeply in love but there's just one problem, he has to leave soon.  On his last night, Jade leaves the room without his knowledge; taking a small piece of him with her without her knowledge.  Will he ever be able to forgive her for her actions?  Or is the world class chef doomed to never learn about the child he fathered with the one woman he had fallen head over heels for?





	1. Innocent Greeting

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not know and have never met Gordon Ramsay in real life. This is a work of fiction, none of this ever happened! No profit will be made from this and this is just for fun.
> 
> Author’s Note: *cough* More inspired by what my reaction would be to Gordon Ramsay’s out of kitchen personality. A very short story, no long romance here! Very smutty and cracky, no excuse for this.

“‘Ello my darling!  I’m here to check in!” came a jovial, all too familiar, British accented voice from in front of her and making her heart stop briefly in her chest.  Doing her level best to keep breathing like normal, Jade forced herself to look up as her pale face went a deep shade of red.  She was greeted with the very familiar sight of Gordon Ramsay, someone she had watched a lot of on T.V. and had been called to this dying Inn in a last ditch effort to help it.  His fluffy, blonde hair was lightly tousled and his brightly blue eyes were carefully meeting hers as he set his metal suitcase down on the carpet.

“Ah, yes!  The Dotellos have set you up in our best suite Mr. Ramsay,” the black haired female breathed, a bit flustered by what he had called her.  From what she had seen, it was more of an endearment he used on all women but that didn’t stop her heart from skipping a few beats when he had called her that.  If she were entirely honest with herself, she had quite a crush on the Scottish born chef and just being in his presence made the receptionist’s heart race slightly in her chest.

“Is something wrong luv?  You look a little... flushed?” came his concerned, mid-tone voice as the young female bent to dig out the guestbook.  That new endearment caused a small jolt to run through her and she jumped upward, ramming her head into the bottom of the wooden desk with a thud.

“Fucking shit,” Jade hissed miserably, her face an even deeper shade of red as she carefully straightened and rubbed her sore head.  Ramsay only looked at her with clear concern as he moved behind the desk.

“Sorry about my language Mr. Ramsay,” she gasped out in an absolutely mortified voice as the worried looking celebrity gently grabbed ahold of one of her arms.

“Never mind that.  You need to sit down for a moment.  Are you feeling dizzy?  Do you need medical attention?” came a rather worried barrage of questions from the world famous chef as he led her to a nearby chair and forced her to sit.

Feeling even more embarrassed, the young woman carefully shook her head as she kept her gaze focused on her pants covered knees.  Then her chin was being lifted and a callused index finger came into her gaze.  “How many am I holding up my darling?” he asked, his ocean blue gaze fixed on her hazel one.   _ ‘That blasted endearment,’ _ she groaned to herself inwardly as her blush deepened.

“One,” she replied quietly, thankful when his intense eyes left hers as he began to examine the top of her head.

“Really, I’m fine.  It was just a bump on the head,” the receptionist whispered in a small, shy voice as she got to her feet.  As she was about to return to the front desk to input his information, she felt a firm grip on her wrist.

“That was still quite a knock you took,” Gordon replied, his already wrinkled brow crinkled with deep concern.

“It doesn’t even hurt anymore.  Now, let’s get you checked in,” the dark haired female reassured in an unsteady voice, trying to not be obvious about not looking at him.

“You still seem a bit out of sorts luv.  Are you quite sure you are well?” came the rumble of his voice as he stepped closer to her, his nearness making it hard for her to even breathe.  If he kept insisting on using his very British endearments, Jade was fairly certain she was going to turn into a quivering pile of uselessness.  She wasn’t used to affectionate terms from men, even completely platonic ones.  Men as a whole seemed to treat her with a polite coolness or ignored her altogether.

“I feel fine Mr. Ramsay, thank you for your concern.  Ah here’s your name, right on the computer,” she chirped triumphantly, before placing a large, leatherbound book on the desk.

“It may be a bit old school but the owners really like the charm an old guest book gives a place like this,” the brunette explained, opening the huge tome to a sheet that was half full of names.  The famous chef only gave her an assessing glance before he rapidly scrawled his name in an empty space.

“Everything's complimentary for you so you don’t need to worry about giving me your card information.  Would you like to be shown to your room?” Jade asked, doing her best to ignore the fandango her heart was dancing in her chest.

“That would be lovely my darling,” he exclaimed, his accented words causing a small thrill to race down her spine.  Honestly, her hormones couldn’t have picked a better time to start acting up.

“Right this way Mr. Ramsay,” the young woman offered, coming out from behind the desk to lead the way down a small hall and to a pair of elevators.  As they walked, the wrinkled looking man was taking in everything the tiny inn had to offer.  It had an old time, rustic charm that made you feel as if you had stepped back into the 50’s in the best way.  The only modern things about the place were the machines.

Once they reached the shiny, metal elevators, the brunette was reaching forward to press the button for him; doing her best to avoid his friendly gaze.  A sudden hand on her shoulder very nearly caused her to jump up to the ceiling, her heart jumping into her chest and making breathing difficult.  “You still seem a bit out of sorts.  Are you sure you don’t need a lay down?” came a gentle rumble by her ear, making her core pulse pleasurably.  Swallowing thickly, Jade licked her lips before even making an attempt to answer.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she assured in a voice that was far too breathy, his raised eyebrow not lost on her.  In fact, she could see the wheels turning in his head as he gave her an assessing look.

Thankfully that was when the elevator arrived, saving her just in the nick of time.  Giving the famous chef her best smile, the young woman led him into the tiny elevator.  Then the metal doors closed, trapping her in the small space with a man she had a crush on and smelled far too good.  To top it off, he was still giving her that look from earlier.  Then it seemed to click, his eyebrows disappearing into the frosted curls that rested over his lined forehead as the elevator stopped at the floor his suite was on.  “Er, you’re at the end of the hall there.  Would you like me to accompany you?” she asked, feeling heat flush her cheeks as a strange warmth filled Ramsay’s sky blue eyes.

“If it’s not too much trouble luv.  I would like to look over the room with you present,” he rumbled, his accented voice doing pleasant things to her insides.  She could almost forget they were being followed around by a man with a camera.  In fact, he had been so quiet she already kinda had.

“I can assure you that, while we may not have the largest staff, who we do have makes damn sure everything is in top shape,” the twenty-eight year old assured, ignoring the man carrying what looked like a high-def, handheld camera as she began to lead the way to the room.

Opening the door with a keycard, Jade turned on a light to reveal a large but homey feeling room.  The bed looked like something found in a cabin and the floor was mostly hardwood, the only carpet being a large circle under the king size bed.  There was even an electric fireplace for the colder months, making the room feel all the more rustic.  “Wow, this is just stunning,” he gushed before going into inspection mode.  Just seeing such a famous man scrutinizing the best room they had made her feel uneasy and she almost held her breath as he made his rounds.  Thankfully he found nothing wrong, something that seemed to surprise and delight the Scottish born Brit.

“Not even so much as a speck of dust,” Ramsay whispered, his azure gaze moving to her before briefly flicking to the cameraman.

Feeling a bit confused, Jade turned just in time to see the cameraman nodding and leaving; shutting the door behind him.  Licking her suddenly dry lips, she turned back to the chef with an unsure smile.  “Mr. Ramsay?” she asked in a far too small voice, a strange, pleasant heat building up between her legs.

“Gordon please, luv,” he replied, his eyes watching her closely as he murmured one of his platonic expressions.

Jade was unable to help the shiver that raced up her spine as her cheeks flushed.  “Er, yes.  I hope you, uh enjoy your stay and, uh, I’ll w-wait for you downstairs,” she squeaked out before making a mad dash for the door.  Only a tight grip on her wrist stopped her motion and she reluctantly looked back to see the blonde male giving her a rather intense look.  Before she could even ask what he was doing, the T.V. star was taking her lips in a searing kiss; his free hand moving up to grip in her brown hair.

“I’d have to be blind not to see what my presence does to you but there’s something else.  Something that I’m saying that makes the most irresistible blush cover your entire body.  When I find out what it is, I intend to exploit it later tonight.  Come see me after dinner, no matter how much I scream,” he urged, his accented voice a rasp that made the heat gathering in her core turn into a hot coil of desire.

Only able to give him a small nod, the petite woman skittered out of the room and made a dash for the elevator.  On the way down, she took the time to compose herself.  Gordon would be down soon to sample their menu and she had to make sure the kitchen was on their ‘A’ game.  Though, knowing her luck, Anton would be late and she would have to have Sara and Beth cover for waitress and front desk.  That would leave her alone in the kitchen, cooking for not only Ramsay but the entire restaurant; a prospect that was intimidating to even the most seasoned of cooks.  She was just someone who could cook a home cooked meal.  “Anton, please be here today,” she hissed, making her way to the kitchen  and cursing the man the entire way.

Lo and behold, when she got to the kitchen it only held the overworked Beth and Sara.  The pair were around her age and saw the elderly couple who owned the place as grandparents.  “Where is the useless sonuvabitch,” Jade snarled, feeling a headache start to build due to her irritation.

“Take a guess,” sighed the red haired Beth, making a joint holding motion with her right hand as she rolled her blue eyes.

“Ugh.  Is Carlos at least here?  He could help back here while you two cover up front,” the desperate receptionist asked, begging any deity up there that the sous chef had anticipated his boss’ laziness.

“Of course he is.  He was just checking our food storage and throwing out the expired stuff.  Are we doing the usual?” Sara asked, brushing a lock of her black hair behind her ear.

“Yep.  You already know the drill.  I’ll go tell Carlos.  If either of you see Anton, send him to me.  Just because he’s their son doesn’t mean he gets to blaze while at work,” sighed the harried brunette before she headed to the back where the freezers were.

There, standing in the door with a clipboard in hand, was a barrel shaped man with a full on beard gracing his face.  Upon hearing footsteps, the rather gruff looking man turned to glare at the intruder until he saw who it was.  “Ah, Jade.  I thought you’d be back here soon.  I’m almost done, then I can come up to help you,” he assured, setting her at ease greatly.

“Thanks Carl.  Mr. Ramsay is here by the way.  He’ll be down in a moment to order from our menu,” she announced before moving back into the kitchen to prep for the lunch rush.  She had seen enough of ‘Hotel Hell’ to know word of Ramsay’s presence would spread quickly, creating a massive rush that would be hard to handle.  Hopefully the rush would hold off until dinner, when Anton was more likely to be around.

Unfortunately her hopes proved to be in vain as the woefully understaffed kitchen was swamped up to their eyeballs in orders as soon as lunch hit.  “Carl, please work on orders one through ten.  I have eleven through twenty,” she ordered, taking the tickets that kept pouring in from a worried looking Beth.

“Jade, Mr. Ramsay is asking for you.  He’s wondering where you are,” the redhead whispered, drawing a ragged sigh from the rushing female.

“Take my place here Beth.  Orders eleven through twenty.  Eleven and twelve are already started,” she sighed, changing places to run out into the swamped room.  Immediately her gaze landed on the world famous chef and she began to make her way to his table when she was stopped by a harsh grip on her wrist.

Jolting in surprise, the frazzled woman turned to see an angry Anton glaring her down.  The taller, thinner male had sandy brown hair tied back in a ponytail and a long goatee on his chin.  His blue, bloodshot eyes were narrowed in outrage and his breath reeked of pot.  Tottering slightly, the obviously impaired male leaned toward her to mutter, “You didn’t fucking tell me Ramsay is here,” in a downright accusatory tone.

“You’re in no state to cook.  Please, for the sake of your parents, go back upstairs,” she whispered, not noticing said celebrity heading for them at a fast clip.

Before the much larger  man could respond, Gordon was tearing the impaired cook away from her and placing himself between them.  “Is there a problem?” the Scottish born male snarled, his own sky blue eyes shining protectively.

“No Mr. Ramsay.  This is just our cook Anton.  He’s in no condition to be in the kitchen and I was just trying to escort him back upstairs,” Jade assured, only getting a curt nod in response.

“I see, would you mind waiting for me at my table luv.  I’ll take care of him for you.  Looks like he’s rather inebriated,” the pissed looking TV star urged before taking the still fuming Anton by the arm and dragging him bodily out of the crowded restaurant.  A couple of men that she assumed were security of some sort appeared out of nowhere to follow close behind, taking the thin male from Ramsay and scooting him upstairs.

Once that was taken care of, the blonde chef was turning back to her and returning at a fast pace.  His intense eyes roved over her body, as if to check for injury.  Then he was pulling out a chair for her and urging her to sit down.  “I’m fine really.  I don’t have time to sit here right now.  I have to go back and help the kitchen.  If you would just give me your order,” she asked in a stressed sounding voice, getting out of the seat despite heavy protests from Ramsay.

“What do you mean?  Are you cooking back there?” the celebrity asked, grasping her wrist in an effort to stop her movement.

“I don’t have much choice.  You saw Anton.  It just me, Carlos and one reception woman, one of which who isn’t all that confident in the kitchen when we’re this swamped.  So, please, just give me your order so I can go back and help push these out,” she pleaded, not liking the gleam in the chef’s eyes as she pulled away from him.

With a surprisingly small amount of fuss; Gordon put in an order for an appetizer, a main course and a dessert.  Thanking him profusely, Jade ran off to the kitchen to trade places with Beth again.  As soon as she entered, she was greeted with unmitigated chaos.  The poor receptionist was doing her best to keep up but had fallen disastrously behind on orders.  It would take a massive amount of gumption to push through the weeds and get back on top.  Whisking the petrified looking red-head back out into the main room, the determined brunette rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

Slowly but surely, with the help of Carlos, the harried front desk woman was getting the kitchen out of the mudhole the well meaning temporary waitress had gotten them into.  She had to have many dishes cooking at one time but she was pulling it off through sheer grit.  On top of that, she made damn sure what she was sending out was quality.  There would be no point in any of this if the food she was giving her customers was utter crap.  “Alright Carl, put on twenty-eight through thirty-five.  Nineteen through twenty-seven should be done soon.  I’ll run quality check while you get that going,” she ordered, feeling exhausted and overheated but no less determined to get through this like a professional.

“Where do you want  _ me _ chef?” came a very familiar voice that stopped her mid-step.

Feeling as if reality had frozen around her, Jade turned her head slowly to see Chef Ramsay looking at her with deep concern on his face.  “Ch-chef!  I couldn’t possibly!  This is our first day of evaluation.  You’re supposed to see what we can do by ourselves,” came out of her breathlessly, the world seeming to tilt as dizziness briefly washed over her.  It was then a pair of arms wrapped around her, steering her to the door that lead out the back of the kitchen.

“And I have.  You’ve done splendidly so far but you’re on the verge of collapse.  Just sit out here and get some fresh air luv.  The lovely girl at the front desk will be here momentarily to give you some water.  Let me and Carlos take it from here,” the world class cook insisted, his jaw set in a hard line while her forced her into a plastic lawn chair they had out here for breaks.

As soon as she was settled, the blonde male turned to leave; stopping when she darted out a hand to grab the sleeve of his white chef’s jacket.  “Did you hear where we are?” she asked, determined to be a team player until the very end.  Giving her a warm smile, the intimidating man turned to clasp her hands in his as he knelt to look her in the eyes.

“Yes, you remarkable woman.  Don’t fear.  You’ve done your job more than well.  You’ve gone way above and beyond what is expected of you,” rumbled his accented midtone, his lips brushing her knuckles.  Then he was leaning forward, giving her cheeks a european kiss before straightening.

“Now I just want you to relax and trust me.  Don’t even think of coming back in there until I come get you,” he ordered, pinning her to the spot with one of his infamous glares before turning on his heel and going back inside.  Jade could only shake her head slightly, chuckling as she looked over at the ever present cameraman.

“That man certainly knows how to get his way,” she sighed with a smile, that smile only widening when the man began to laugh along with her.

It was only a few minutes after she had been exiled that Rebecca came to give her the water she had been promised.  “You okay?  Everyone in there seems worried for you,” the dark haired femme whispered as she handed the other woman the cool glass.

“Yeah, just overworked.  Its been like a madhouse.  Always is when the people hear someone like him is coming to a restaurant.  They’re either hoping the food will be amazing, to see him flip out or just to be on the show,” Jade sighed, rolling her emerald eyes to the sky as she took a cautious sip.

“At least it tapered off.  Also there haven’t been any complaints about the food.  Just that service is a bit slow,” the younger woman replied, giving her back a pat before heading back inside to do her job.

Left alone by the cameraman who had gone inside to film Ramsay, the exhausted twenty-eight year old closed her eyes.  It had been a long time since she could rely on anyone but her small group to keep this place above water.  It was nice to know Gordon wasn’t about to let all of her hard work go to waste.  Taking in a deep breath, she allowed herself to relax for the first time in a long time.

Motion was what woke her up, her brain not realizing she had fallen asleep in the first place.  Looking around with bleary eyes, the confused female began to shift in the hold of whoever was carrying her.  “Shhh, its only me darling.  You’re safe,” assured a soft, British voice from above her.

“Mmmnnnh?  Chefff?” she muzzed, still more asleep than awake.  The scent of cologne wasn’t helping her state either, luring her deeper into the comfort of slumber.

“Gordon, luv.  I’ve got ya,” hummed the voice, soft lips dancing across her forehead as he jostled her slightly in his arms; shifting her weight as one of his arms lifted.

“Okay Gordon,” sighed out of her as her eyelids fluttered and her breathing evened out.  The last thing she was aware of was the sound of a door opening and the feeling of a mattress under her.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Some Time Later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

Stretching along the sheets, Jade let out a content sigh.  Whatever she was lying on was much softer than her normal bed.  The strong arms wrapped protectively around her were also nice, a pleasant, musky scent filling her nose.  Fairly purring from how comfortable she was, the worn out professional cuddled into the muscular frame that was curled around her.  It was then her eyes shot open as realization dawned on her.

Licking her lips as her heart began to race, the frozen receptionist began to cautiously feel the body behind her with shy fingertips.  Planes of muscle greeted her touch, the musky scent from before intensifying as her bedmate stirred slightly.  Just as her hand made it to the crest of his hips, the man was letting out a hot breath onto the back of her neck.  “Awake my darling girl?” purred from behind her, the voice familiar under the roughness caused by deep sleep.

Memories rushed back to her all at once, drawing an embarrassed groan from her as her entire body heated from mortification.  This wasn’t some stranger that had drugged her and taken advantage of her.  This was Gordon Ramsay, a man who had taken her to his room after she had so unceremoniously passed out from overworking.  “Oh chef, I’m so sorry!  I wasn’t even aware I had fallen asleep!  I should leave before...,” spilled out of her in a rush as she moved to get out of bed.

The only problem was, the strong celebrity had an arm wrapped rather tightly around her waist and didn’t seem inclined to let go any time soon.  He had also interrupted her guilty spiel, his lips taking hers while he arranged her more securely against his built body.  “I don’t want you going anywhere Jade.  You’ve had a hard day and you need your rest.  I’ve never seen anyone even attempt what you managed today,” rumbled from behind her, their closeness alerting her to the fact she had refused to absorb from her touches.  Chef Gordon Ramsay was naked and, from the feel of it, was beginning to get aroused.

“I’ve never been as impressed by anyone as I was by your drive.  You were determined to feed everyone quality food despite falling into a slump.  You pushed hard and kept going despite having no experience in the restaurant.  Most contestants on Hell’s Kitchen don’t have that amount of hunger,” continued his voice, sounding deep, raspy and holding an edge that made her skin prickle.

As he was talking, his hands had moved to rest just above her pubis; his breathing becoming faster as he pressed a kiss just below her left ear.  “If you want this to stop just say so but I have a couple conditions for continuing,” sighed the TV personality, moving his lips from her neck to her cheek.  Jade could only stare into the darkness, her heart pounding while her body buzzed with lust and a touch of anxiety.  This wouldn’t be her first time with a man but she didn’t have sex casually.  When she chose to pursue adult relations with someone, it was always because she was in a deep relationship with them.  They had to be someone she trusted her heart to, knowing she wouldn’t have the strength to withstand a one night stand.

Now she found herself faced with something she had never wanted to do.  Yet, she was having trouble just saying no.  She’d had a crush on the man for years, religiously watching his shows any chance she could get.  Now the same man was asking for a night with her, something any sane woman would leap at the chance for.  Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she rolled in the tight embrace to face the Michelin level chef.  “What are your conditions?” she whispered, using this moment to calm her heart rate.

“Number one, no more of this chef nonsense.  Call me Gordon.  Number two, I want you to stop over-extending yourself.  I know you feel as if its your duty but you can’t help anyone if you kill yourself,” rumbled the absurdly reasonable conditions, the hands on her lower back twitching slightly as her gaze rose.

Gentle, worried blue eyes met hers, his callused hand moving from around her waist to cup her face.  “I know this fast my love.  Trust me, I’m not in the habit of sleeping with every cute girl I come across.  There’s just something about you.  Has been since I first saw you behind the front counter,” Gordon whispered, urgency tinging his tone as he rested his lined forehead against hers.

“I don’t normally do anything like this either,” she confessed, burrowing her head into his slightly hairy chest with a sigh.  Protective arms wound around her, a pair of lips resting in her soft hair.

“But... I can’t really say no to you.  Just... don’t hold it against me if I say something embarrassing during sex.  You see, I tend to only have sex with men I... feel a great deal for and I might...,” she began, only to be interrupted by a firm hand coming up to grasp her chin.  Then his mouth was covering hers, stopping any further conversation.

“Whatever you say won’t matter to me darling.  Besides, that’s usually the case for me as well.  Now lay back and allow me to reward you for your hard work today,” sighed the gruff accent that made her ache inside.

With a deft motion, the blonde chef had Jade on her back; affection filled blue eyes locked on hers as he hovered over her.  “I don’t think you realize just how stunning you were.  The Dotellos are blessed to have such loyal staff,” he murmured, his voice sounding like sin itself as he leaned down to punctuate his words with kisses.  Large, yet gentle hands raised the hem of her shirt to her breasts, stopping as he pulled back slightly to ask permission.

“Please... Gordon,” husked out of the woman below him, her words making something dark and predatory shine briefly in the cook’s eyes.  Then he was removing the article of clothing, showing off the fact he had removed her bra some time while she had been asleep.

“I thought not having that blasted thing on would be more comfortable.  I didn’t take advantage of the situation, I assure you,” Ramsay whispered, his wrinkled brow furrowed even deeper with concern as he kept his gaze locked on hers.  Shame shone in his deep azure eyes but his focus remained on her.

“I know.  I’m... a bit of a fan,” came an unwitting confession that halted her heart in her chest.

Gordon, on the other hand, seemed all the more pleased by her admission; leaning down to give her neck a small nip.  “I know luv.  I could see it all over you.  You also seem to quite like the little pet names I use,” vibrated against her neck as he rested himself along her body.  A muscular thigh parted hers, allowing him to press his erection into her clothed junction.  Soft moans leave her against her will, her hands coming up to rest on the defined planes of his back.  Years of soccer as well as continued exercise had left him ridiculously built for a man in his position.  Strength radiated from every line of his fit body and yet his touch was so gentle, feeling more like that of a lover’s.

“Lift your hips my lovely,” husked out of him, drawing a submissive noise from her as she complied.

Already, an ache was building between her legs; building into a ball of writhing pressure in her lower body.  She both wanted to hide from the sensations as well as just give in to them, moaning quietly when her wet womanhood was exposed to the slightly cold air.  Callused fingers gently dipped past tight curls, hooking into her quivering sheath to gather her nectar on the talented digits.  “So wet luv.  Is this all fer me?” cooed a satisfied burr from above her, sounding slightly more Scottish than she was used to.

“Y-yes Ch..., Gordon,” gusted out of her, some twisted quirk making her almost respond like one of his contestants on Hell’s Kitchen.  A fact that both seemed to amuse and irritate the man between her legs.

“Well, if tha’s th’case then t’would be rude o’ meh no’ t’sample it,” Ramsay husked, his voice nearing a brogue as he slowly slid his fingers free.

His eyes dilated slowly as he took in Jade’s reaction, his frosted bangs hanging slightly in his captivating eyes while her brought the appendages up to his face.  Closing his expressive orbs, Gordon inhaled the scent of the fluid coating his fingers deeply; as if savoring the perfume of a fine wine.  Darting out his tongue, he took a quick sample; humming slightly in approval as he seemed to roll the substance around in his mouth.  Letting out a soft breath, he opened his eyes once again to lock gazes with her as he ran his tongue over the long digits.  “Simply exquisite,” he sighed, his roots clinging to his voice and giving him an interesting sound.

Sucking his index and middle fingers into his mouth to get the remnants off, Ramsay took in a shuddering breath; his chest expanding before he was giving her a look full of fire.  “If you will allow me, darling, I’d like t’sample such magnificence fresh from th’source,” rasped the chef, both his accents fighting for dominance as every muscle in his body seemed to shudder.  Licking her lips as she felt a raging fire begin to flare in her veins, Jade knew it was far too late to stop now.

“It would be an honor,” she whispered, her heart racing while the coil inside her pulsed slightly.

The blonde wasted no time, placing his mouth against her aching slit and licking slowly up the opening.  The flat of his tongue covered the entirety of her nethers, his tip squirming into her entry and drawing a gasp from her as her back arched.  Hands tangling in his messy hair to hold him against her, the receptionist moaned out his name while he sucked her awakening clit into his hot mouth.  Low, soft growls issued out of the TV personality, one of his hands pressing down on her lower belly to hold her down.  His other hand was propping her right leg open, his tongue curling and flicking her sensitive bud as he intensified his motions.

Keens of his name as well as his title flooded out of her as she felt the pulsing knot tighten tighter and tighter.  Then she was exploding, vision flashing a myriad of colors while she felt his tongue still moving against her.  Before she could push him away from her sensitive flesh, he was pulling back on his own; the deep lines on his face giving him an almost animalistic appearance as he licked his lips slowly.  “Five stars, my compliments,” growled the talented male, crawling his way up her to lock lips with her.

Something sweet and tangy exploded on her tongue as he invaded her mouth, something pressing against her opening.  Then he was entering her, causing her to gasp into his mouth.  “Gewd gel.  Wrap yer arms ‘round an’ hang tight,” hissed his unsteady brogue, his Scottish heritage in full form as he stopped moving to allow her to adjust.  Arms rising of their own accord, Jade placed her forehead against Ramsay’s left shoulder as she did her best to relax.

“Ready lass?” rumbled his voice in her left ear, his arms wrapping around her back to hold her against him.  All she could do was nod, a cry of pleasured pain leaving her when he began to thrust,  _ hard _ .

“Oh God, Gordon!” she gasped, fireworks seeming to go off inside her as she just did her best to hang on.

“That’s it darlin’, let ‘em know jest who’s pleasin’ ya,” the British Scotsman snarled, the sound of his hips hitting hers loud in the empty room.  Hissing, the front woman ran her nails down his back as she felt a hook bury deep into her womb and tug.

“Thas a gel.  Come on naow.  Cum fer meh,” he growled, reaching below her to play with her sensitive button.

Body going stiff, the brunette screamed out the star’s name; vaguely aware of him joining her with a roar of her own.  Then something hot was spilling into her womb, hot breaths leaving Gordon’s broad frame as he gently laid her onto the mattress.  Rolling next to her in the next motion, the Brit wrapped an arm loosely around her waist before nuzzling her neck.  Sighing as her own body wound down from the tidal wave of pleasure, Jade rolled to face her famous lover; her heart aching with what she couldn’t say.

Looking into his sky blue eyes, Jade reached up to cup his cheek; tears rolling unnoticed down her cheeks as her heart cramped in her chest.  Just as she had feared, this experience had only deepened her feelings for this incredible man.  None of this was helped when he reached up to wipe away her tears before pulling her into a hug.  Burrowing her face into his chest, she breathed in deeply as she allowed herself to cling to him; if only briefly.  “I love you...,” she whispered into his pecs, hoping the muscles would be enough to muffle what she had said.  She had no illusions of him feeling the same or even wanting a relationship.  He was from a different country entirely and had to leave soon, it would be foolish to expect him to return the feelings she had developed over her time as his fan.

Thankfully, he acted as if he heard nothing at all; whispering soothing things in her ear as he pet her.  Between his scent, the sound of his raspy voice and the feeling of him petting her; she was beginning to fall asleep.  Yawning, she snuggled into him and closed her eyes; her breathing evening out as she gradually drifted off.  When he was sure she was asleep, Ramsay was pulling away to look at her sleeping face.  A look of absolute adoration was written all over his wrinkled but handsome features as he kissed the tip of her nose.  “I love you too Jade.  I promise to tell you that before I leave,” he murmured, closing his own eyes and allowing himself to drift into a deep sleep.


	2. Fixing Problems and Making New Ones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: All sorts of stuff going on this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy what I have planned.

The next day went along as if nothing had happened, with the exception of the fact she had awoken in a world class chef’s arms.  Needless to say, she had run out of the room as soon as she was dressed; wanting to avoid talking to him so soon after they had sex.  Being that it was her first one night stand, Jade found herself a bit at a loss for how to handle it.  Avoidance seemed much easier so she went right to the reception desk to resume her duties.  Unfortunately, she didn’t account for the fact Ramsay would still be here.

As she was checking in a new couple coming into the Inn, the chef was coming down the stairs; straightening his clothes as his cameraman ran behind him.  As soon as his eyes landed on her, she felt herself freeze.  He had a very slight frown on his lined face, his lips pursed as he watched her take the new guests’ names into the guestbook.  “Thank you for you patronage!  We hope you enjoy your stay,” she chirruped, stiffening just slightly when he began to close the distance.

“Good morning my darling.  I just finished an interview with the Dotellos about their son.  After a review of the kitchens last night, I can say with confidence that I know what the problem is.  That man Anton doesn’t seem to care about anything but getting high.  You also need a lot more hands as well as some good advertising.  Other than that, things seem to be fine here.  Thankfully, the Dotellos are willing to enact any changes I put into place,” he declared, his eyes focused on her and practically glueing her to the spot.

“Let me guess, Anton will be the only problem,” she sighed out, avoiding his gaze to put the guestbook back in its place.  She didn’t notice Ramsay dismiss his cameraman while she was distracted.

“Yes, he’s made it quite clear he doesn’t intend to give up his position without a chance to ‘prove’ himself,” complained the celebrity lingering behind her counter.  She could feel him edging closer to her as she straightened and she felt her heart begin to pound as she turned her head to meet his gaze.  When she saw they were alone, her anxiety only increased and she began to look for escape routes.

The british cook seemed to realize this, trapping her with his body as well as his strong arms.  Slightly hurt blue eyes locked onto hers as he seemed on the verge of saying something.  Thankfully, it was at that point the bell for the front door rang and she had to go back to work.  This, of course, made Gordon back off; giving her one last look out of the corner of his eyes before he was heading into the dining room.  Signing in the people that just came in, she couldn’t help but look at where he had went; her heart clenching painfully in her chest.  It had almost looked like he was upset she hadn’t stayed with him, an assumption that made no logical sense.

Unfortunately, things slowed down after those three guests; leaving her with nothing to distract her from herself.  Already, she was beginning to berate herself for her behavior last night.  She had known full well she wouldn’t be able to just have a night of sex without hurting herself.  The feelings she had harbored for him before had only been magnified by the act, leaving her with this terrible wrenching feeling where her heart should be.  The worst part was, she only had herself to blame and she knew it.

Heaving a sigh, she wiped down her counter before heading into the dining room to check on preparations for the breakfast rush.  As soon as she entered the room, however, she heard a large din coming from the kitchen and felt her heart sink.  From the sounds of it, Anton was likely throwing around pans after finding out he would likely get fired if his cooking wasn’t up to par.  Sad thing was, Jade knew it was.  There was once a time where the young man had as much passion as Ramsay himself, pushing everyone in the kitchen to newer and better heights.  Sadly, it hadn’t taken very long for the energy to fall.

Like so many others that ended up working for their parents, the twenty-one year old had gotten complacent.  He seemed to think his parents would never fire him, even if it meant saving their livelihood.  Unfortunately for him, the rest of the staff didn’t agree.  Everyone working loved the Dotellos like their own family, the older couple being unerringly sweet and friendly with everyone.  They made sure the staff got breaks as well as good pay and they even made homemade meals for them every now and then.  It was, by far, one of the best places to work; feeling more like a family.  If Anton were to be forced out, there was no one here that would see it as a loss with the exception of his parents.

Sighing and not really looking forward to seeing what was happening, Jade moved into the kitchen.  What she saw came very close to making her faint.  Everything had been trashed, the pots pans, and utensils were strewn all over.  The ovens had been torn free of the walls and food was currently being tossed out of the walk-in fridge and into the kitchen while Rebecca, Beth and Carlos watched in stunned horror.  “Th’fuck ya think you’re doing, you donkey?  You cook shite and then you throw a *benny like a child when I tell you so!” screamed a familiar, British accented voice from the back.

“You wouldn’t know something good if ya shat it out yourself you pomped up limey!” screamed Anton, the slur he used making her heart drop into her stomach.  If he insulted Ramsay enough that he left, this Inn would die and the Dotellos would be bankrupt.

Without thinking, she was moving forward; rage broiling inside her as she laid eyes on the spoiled brat throwing away his parent’s lives.  “Anton!” she snapped, getting the attention of both men by accident.  Keeping her eyes fixed on the younger male, Jade strode up to him and slapped him hard.  

“What the Hell do you think you’re doing?!  Your parents have given everything just to keep this place afloat and you’re willing to just throw it all away because you can’t hack it anymore.  Well, tough!  I’m sick of seeing you run us into the ground and, from the looks of it, you’ve lost your final chance.  Get the fuck out of here and let us clean this up before lunch starts and we’re in even deeper shit than we are, thanks to you!” she snarled, standing toe to toe with the taller man as he glowered down at her.

In a swift motion, he was grabbing a fistful of her hair to yank her head back; sneering down at her as her eyes watered.  Gordon made a move to intervene but stopped when Jade held up a hand.  “You don’t know anything!  I was what kept this place going!  I am the lifeblood of this place and some trumped up foreigner isn’t gonna tell me I’m not gonna work here!” he spat, tightening his grip until she let out a small mewl of pain.

That was the straw that broke the camel’s back, Ramsay grabbing the younger man by the throat to slam him against the wall.  Blue eyes flaring with a fury she had never seen,  the Scottish born male brought his face inches from Anton’s as he lifted him easily.  “You need to calm down mate, you hear me?  I will  _ not _ just stand here and watch while you abuse a woman and fling insults at me.  From what I’ve seen, I’m more than justified in my decision.  Now, I suggest you go on upstairs before I am forced to phone the police.  I will be up myself to tell your parents what happened,” bit out the furious chef before he was slowly lowering the other man to the floor.

As soon as he was free, Anton was running; muttering swear words under his breath.  Once he was gone, Gordon was turning to Jade; fury slowly leaving for deep concern as he saw she was rubbing the top of her head with a pained expression.  “I knew he was a jerk but I never thought he’d go  _ that _ far,” she murmured, her voice slightly shaky as tears stood in her emerald eyes.  Pursing his lips, Ramsay closed the distance in two large steps; his strong arms pulling her into a tight hug.

“Shhh luv.  You’re alright now, yes?  Do you need some time off?” he murmured, the generalness of his statements reminding her they were on camera at the moment.

“No Chef, I just need a few minutes to get myself together.  Then I can help get this place cleaned in time for lunch.  I just hope we have a small rush.  I highly doubt a lot of the food he tossed out will be useable,” she responded, backing out of his hold with a grateful expression.  When she saw the frustrated look he was giving her in return, she nearly stopped moving altogether.

“I’ll be out back for a few.  I’ll go tell Becca to watch my post for me while I get myself together,” Jade declared, rushing out of the room as fast as she could.

Left alone with the cameraman, Ramsay made a vicious cutting motion; waiting until the little recording light was off to run a shaky hand through his already tousled hair.  Then he was kicking one of the empty pots across the room, letting out a series of quiet curses as his hands curled into tight fists.  Taking a deep breath, he closed his furious eyes as he tried to calm himself enough to go back out to help.  Yet, all he could think about was what had happened earlier with Anton.  Seeing the other man treating Jade so abusively had struck an extremely protective chord in him and he found it hard not to simply knock the little arse’s head in.  “You okay boss?” his constant shadow asked, lowering the heavy camera off his shoulder.

“No, Dave.  No, I’m not.  Do me a favor, yeah?  Go on out there and start filming the clean-up.  I need a moment,” Gordon growled, his muscular frame shaking slightly as he fought to reign in his fierce temper.

Sitting outside the kitchen and staring at the clouds passing by, Jade sobbed as quietly as she could.  In all her life, she had never been manhandled like that.  Before Gordon had stepped in, she had seriously thought Anton was going to strike her.  Just thinking about it made her want to shake all over and break down in earnest.  “Jade?  Oh honey, I didn’t want to believe it...,” came an elderly female voice before she was bundled into a hug that brought down her carefully built walls.  Thankfully Sophia Dotello seemed to understand, hushing her as she pet the younger woman’s hair.  Neither of them noticed the figure watching from the doorway.

An hour or so later and lunch was finally winding down, allowing Raven to trade places with Rebecca again.  It was at that point Ramsay called a meeting, the staff as well as the Dotellos filing into the dining room.  “Right, we’ve just begun to improve things around here.  All I’ve really done is cut the fat.  Tonight, I want you all to pull together and give it your all for dinner service,” he announced, earning a few uneasy murmurs.

“Don’t worry, all the equipment in the kitchen will be replaced before then.  For now, let’s focus on getting more guests into the Inn, yeah?” he continued, earning a few enthusiastic cheers from the staff before they dispersed to go back to their jobs.  Only Jade remained behind, shifting nervously in place as she avoided the michelin starred chef’s eyes.

“Th-thank you... for replacing all the stuff as well as earlier.  I never thought he’d go that far,” she whispered, barely loud enough to hear.

Making a snap decision, Gordon motioned his cameraman to leave; making sure he was off somewhere else before he made his move.  Walking toward the humble woman, he wrapped her in a tight embrace before placing a kiss on the top of her head.  “If you hadn’t stopped me, I’d have moved a lot sooner.  No man has any right to do that to a lady, especially not one I find myself quite attracted to,” he sighed, a slight edge to his voice as he leaned back enough to look her in the face.

Blushing heavily as her eyes widened, Jade bordered between disbelief and heartbreaking hope.  “Ch-chef?” she stuttered out in an unsure voice, sucking in a sharp breath when he shook his head vehemently.  Next thing she knew, his lips were covering hers in a passionate kiss; his tongue easily plying hers open as a hand came up to cup the back of her head.

“Gordon, remember darling?  Even with the cameras on, I want you to call me Gordon.  Please,” rumbled his rough, throaty voice as he broke the kiss.  Then he was releasing her to walk back out into the lobby, leaving her to wonder if that had really happened.

The rest of the day went by in typical fashion.  Every now and then a customer would trickle in for either a room or a meal but, for the most part, things were dead quiet.  Sighing slightly, Jade began to brainstorm just what to do to help advertise this place.  Several ideas already came to mind, from a sign waver to an ad spot on the TV.  All of them seemed good and would help in their own way but they required money that just wasn’t there.  The only other way she could think of was actually going down the street with a sign board draped on her body to round up customers.  Of course she would have to have free samples of the food to drive interest but she didn’t see that part being a problem.  So, with a quick glance to make sure Ramsay hadn’t returned yet, Jade left her post to see if either Vigo or Sophia had a sign board somewhere.

Hours later and she was walking down the street with a tray, using her innate charm to draw in people to try her samples.  Samples she had cooked herself before going on this trek.  Thankfully, so far everyone seemed to love the food; asking where the restaurant was and assuring her they would be making reservations.  Things were going so well she had already filled the restaurant for the first and second waves of dinner service.  So, handing off the last of her samples, she turned to make her way back to the Inn; more than a little shocked to see Gordon Ramsay heading toward her from that direction at a fast clip.

Blinking in astonishment, she moved to meet him halfway; vaguely wondering if she had done something wrong by taking the initiative.  As she got closer to him, however, she only saw a deep fear on his wrinkled features.  “Jade!  I’m so glad I found you luv!  When they told me you had gone out alone I about had a panic attack,” he gasped out, pulling the silly board over her head before enveloping her in his arms.

“If anything had happened to you, I would have never...  You should have brought someone with you!  Like Rebecca, Beth or even Carlos.  Going out alone was extremely dangerous,” the celebrity continued, not seeming to care that he was still live on the air.

Staring at the cameraman that had followed him, the receptionist tried to extricate herself from his hold; only to have him tighten it.  “Gordon, the camera...,” she tried.

“ _ Fuck _ the camera right now, alright?!  I had no idea where you had gone or even if you possibly needed help.  I was so scared darling,” he growled, his voice holding a slight hint of desperation as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

“Its broad daylight as well as a crowded street, I highly doubt anyone would have even tried anything.  Besides, I managed to fill both waves of dinner service tonight,” Jade responded, feeling a blush flush over her entire body as Ramsay kept kissing her; eventually landing one on her cheek.

After a few more minutes, the TV star released her to regain his composure; running a shaky hand through his blonde hair.  “That may be true but we’re in a pretty bad part of the city.  Anything could have happened.  While I’m glad you managed to get some business, you can’t just keep doing this.  Next time, at least bring a partner with you for safety,” he requested, seeming to not care that all of this was being recorded live.

“Well, alright.  I’m sure Beth will be willing to go with me once...,” she began, stopping when she found herself reminded of the fact this would likely be her last day with this man.  A man she had formed a scarily fast attachment to.

Gordon also seemed disturbed by the reminder, grimacing as he shifted uncomfortably; casting a side glance to the camera before dismissing the man to go back to the restaurant.  As soon as the guy was out of earshot, he was taking Jade’s arm in a gentle grip; pulling her into a near-by alleyway so they could have some privacy.  The young woman could only stare up at him, looking nervous as well as a bit confused.  Before she could say anything he was bringing up his arms to trap her while pressing against her with his body.  An odd mixture of emotions shown in his blue eyes as he seemed to struggle with himself.  “Fuck it..,” he growled before he was giving her a passionate kiss.

Jade froze, her breathing halting for a few moments as her brain scrambled for some sort of response.  Reaching up cautiously to place her hands on his broad shoulders, she decided to return the kiss; earning a gruff sigh in response.  “Oh, my dear, sweet girl...  I wish our time together wasn’t so terribly short.  We barely know eachother but I can already feel a strong connection.  After dinner service, I would like to take you out.  I need to get to know you, if only a little, before...,” he sighed, looking more than a little distraught as he broke the kiss to press his forehead against hers.

“Uh... o-okay...,” she replied, still feeling a bit stunned as the chef seemed to sag in relief.

“Thank you darling.  I can promise you won’t regret this,” Ramsay gushed, bundling her into another hug before leading her back to the Inn.

As they made their way back, Jade pondered on what Gordon’s odd behavior could mean.  The man had been legitimately frightened for her safety, not giving two fucks for the fact his actions had likely been broadcast to millions.  Then there was the fact he had asked her on a date, something she doubted many other woman could say happened.  Hazarding a glance up at the older man, she felt her heart skip a few beats when she saw him staring down at her with a strange expression.  It was almost as if he was afraid something could still happen to her under his watch and she found herself leaning into him with a comfortable smile.

A few minutes later and she was being led into the kitchen, her jaw dropping as she took in the new, stainless steel appliances.  Everything had been replaced, even the walk-in freezer.  “Oh my God...  This is incredible!  Oh Gordon, this is wonderful!” she exclaimed, running to one of the shiny ovens to give the top an affectionate touch.

“I’m so glad you like it luv because I spoke to the Dotellos before I found out about your little ‘outing’.  They seem to agree you and Carlos would make a great team in the kitchen,” the Scottish born Brit declared, his words seeming to make reality grind to a halt.

“Wh-what?” she stammered, the colors seeming to drain out of the world as anxiety began to bubble within her.

“The three of us agreed you would make a great head chef.  Especially for someone with very little experience,” his accented baritone assured, an arm wrapping around her waist to pull her against a solid body.

“B-but I don’t know anything about restaurants or working on the line.  Last night was just a lucky fluke!” the receptionist protested, her head turning to look at the frustratingly calm cook.

To her horror, he merely shook his head before giving her a kind smile.  “What I saw wasn’t a fluke.  I was watching a chef in the making.  You had an innate instinct that I’ve rarely seen and it would be a waste to keep you at the front desk.  This place  _ needs _ someone with the dedication you have in the kitchen,” he pointed out, his words only making her more nervous.  Still, she as she looked back at that horrendous night, she found he had a point.  If it weren’t for her and Carlos, the restaurant would have fallen on its face.

“I guess I did do a good job but I still don’t know enough to do all of it with only one other person,” Jade sighed, rubbing her arm as she shifted her gaze to one side.

“That’s precisely why I’m bringing in a few experienced chefs to help until you guys get on more staff,” he soothed, pressing a kiss to her temple before the others came streaming in to look at the kitchen.

A few hours later and Jade was elbow deep in orders, yelling commands to Carlos as well the two newcomers Gordon had brought in to help.  So far, things were going smoother than they ever have and she felt fairly confident they would get through the night successfully.  Even Ramsay hadn’t felt the need to interfere, simply helping to expedite orders.  By the time the second wave of dinner service hit, there was a general feeling of well being.  “Alright guys, just a bit more and we’re done!” Jade encouraged, getting a subdued cheer as her crew kept cooking for all they were worth.  Then, as the last plate left, the former receptionist was actually beginning to believe she might just be head chef material after all.

“You did wonderfully luv!  Not a single order returned.  This might just be the best reopening the show has ever had,” Gordon declared, walking up to her to lift her in the air before embracing her tightly.  The crew in the kitchen burst into cheers while the camera recorded, effectively wrapping up the show.

“Alright boss, we got what we needed.  I’m gonna head up to the room,” the cameraman declared, lowering his equipment and leaving.

This left Jade alone with Ramsay and her crew, said people slowly leaving the room.  As soon as it was just the two of them, Gordon was kissing her face; landing on her lips on occasion while his hands moved over her back.  “I look forward to taking you out.  I’ll give you a moment or so to unwind.  Meet me in the lobby when you’re ready, yeah?” husked out his baritone, one of his hands coming up to hold her face before he was releasing her to walk off.  The young woman could only stare at the door he had left through, her fingertips touching her lips as a blush colored her cheeks.

Jolting out of her stupor, the twenty-eight year old came to the horrifying realization she had no idea what to wear.  Cursing quietly, she left the kitchen as calmly as she could; heading toward the elevators as her heart pounded in her chest.  Her only hope was Sophia.  The woman had more experience with make-up as well as clothes and would be more than willing to help.  So, as soon as the elevator had stopped, she was running toward the room they were living in; hoping Anton wouldn’t be there.

The world class chef leaned against the wall as he waited, honestly grateful the show was over.  He was tired of hiding how he felt for this remarkable woman, especially given how tight his time window was.  Tomorrow, he would be gone and he needed to show her just how much he had grown attached to her before that happened.  He couldn’t risk losing her, not when he felt so drawn to her.  In all his career, he hadn’t met someone with the amount of natural talent she had.  There was also the adorable way she reacted to his endearments, blushing and seeming to grow as shy as a schoolgirl confronted with her crush.  Breathing out slowly, he closed his eyes as he tried to calm the maelstrom inside himself.

Despite how confident he normally was, this was an entirely new situation for him.  He had never felt love like this for someone so quickly, let alone a fan he barely knew.  In fact, he normally avoided any kind of romantic encounter with his fans.  He was the type of man who didn’t sleep around.  He wanted a deeper relationship, something that would last the rest of his life.  For some reason, he had a feeling he had finally found that in Jade.  She was so sweet, so honest and she had also said she had loved him.  Granted, she wasn’t aware he had heard that confession but it still meant a lot to him.

Hearing some footsteps, the nervous foodie turned to see the woman he had just been thinking about.  It took all of his control not to let his jaw drop open at how beautiful she looked.  She was dressed in a skin tight, black dress, her gorgeous hair pulled up into an elaborate updo.  Light red lipstick colored her lips, emerald eyes sparkling at him from eyes highlighted in dark eyeshadow.  “You look absolutely stunning sweetheart,” he rumbled, pulling away from the wall to walk toward her and offer her his right arm.

Looking down at the offered appendage, her pulse pounding in her ears, Jade fought the urge to lick her lips as she wove her own arm around his.  Much more used to more masculine clothing, she felt extremely exposed in this outfit; especially with how her cleavage was showing.  While the dress wasn’t all that low cut, it still felt weird to see the crease between her breasts and she had to fight an urge to cover herself.  “Th-thank you Gordon,” she squeaked, her voice unsteady as he lead her the rest of the way down the stairs and out the front door.  Outside, a limo was waiting and the star opened the door for her.

To her surprise, the ride to the restaurant had been comfortable.  Gordon, sensing her nervousness, had sparked conversation about his days as a student under an extremely harsh French chef.  This had encouraged her to add some stories of her own and soon the pair were laughing like they were good friends.  By the time they had pulled up to the rather fancy looking place, the couple felt utterly comfortable around eachother.  “After you my dear,” Gordon offered, ever the gentleman as he opened the car door for her.

Sitting down in a chair inside what had to be a four star restaurant with Gordon Ramsay across the table would be an intimidating experience for anyone.  For Jade, it felt a bit like a dream.  He was polite, gentle and had an odd humor that you couldn’t help but laugh along with.  Not to mention the fact that he was quite handsome despite all the wrinkles on his face.  He was literally everything he made himself out to be on TV and she found herself slowly falling deeper for him with every word out of his mouth.  All too soon, their food was in front of them and silence fell over the pair; allowing her to come a bit back to reality.  No matter how much she truly loved this amazing man already, it didn’t stop the fact he would be gone tomorrow.

Suddenly a large hand landed on top of her left one, drawing her to look up at the man across from her.  Sparkling, sky blue eyes met hers, holding the same sorrow she felt.  “I know luv but let’s enjoy what time we have, yeah?” he pleaded, giving her his version of puppy eyes.  All she could do was give a nod, her heart aching as she forced a smile on her face.  She just hoped she wouldn’t break down before the night was over.  She desperately wanted to make his departure as stress free as possible and clinging to him like a limpet when he can’t possibly stay wouldn’t help one bit.

The end to their meal came far too fast but she was honestly grateful.  She didn’t know if she could have held out for much longer.  As it was, she was looking forward to going back to her home to have a good sob.  Unfortunately for her, Ramsay had other plans.  Before she could even think of heading to her car, he was grabbing her arm and giving her a look full of pleading; obviously wanting her to spend the night.  Still, the receptionist turned cook didn’t think it was a good idea.  She was already having problems keeping her mask in place, to actually have to spend the night with him and see him leave would be downright torture.  “I had a great night Chef but I think it best I go home now.  I don’t want to get in the way of your flight tomorrow,” she tried to explain, turning to head to the parking lot that was behind the Inn.

A tight grip on her wrist stopped any forward movement, causing her heart to plummet headlong into her stomach as she realized she was lost.  He hadn’t said anything and her resolve had already crumbled to dust.  “Please Jade.  I just want to spend as much time with you as possible before I have to leave,” came his pleading, accented voice.

“What would it matter?  What’s happening now can’t possibly continue into anything long term.  I just want to spare myself any more pain and just hang onto what happened earlier as a sweet memory,” she tried to reason, despite knowing all too well she fully intended to stay.

“I’m not content to just add you as a ‘notch on my belt’.  In the short time I’ve known you, I have seen a wonderful, talented woman.  A woman who I want a deeper connection to.  If I have my way, this will not be the last time we see eachother,” he declared, giving her hand a gentle tug in the hopes of her turning to look at him.

Sighing, Jade turned to look into his earnest, blue eyes.  He meant every word and she felt the tears she been holding back clogging her throat.  “You win,” she whispered, large droplets rolling down her cheeks as she walked back toward him to nestle into his chest.

“I also want a deeper connection Gordon...  I just wish you didn’t have to leave in the first place,” Jade continued, wrapping her arms around his thick neck as he swooped her into his arms.

“I do too luv.  Since our first night together, I have fallen in love with you.  Allow me to use tonight to show you just how much,” growled a baritone in her ears as the chef strode into the Inn.

Two bodies moved against eachother in the darkness, soft moans issuing from the pair as they held tight to one another.  “Jade, my Jade,” growled an accented voice, answered by a female gasping out a name into the darkness.  Sounds of wet flesh and pleasure filled the room, the pair seeming to want to draw this out as long as possible.  Then two musical cries tinged with sorrow exploded from them in unison.  Collapsing together, the two shadows snuggled; murmuring softly while the large figure caresses the smaller.

“I love ya Jade.  I love ya an’ I will come back,” growled a scottish brogue while soft sobs comes from the shaking figure he is holding.  In moments, silence soon follows; the sounds of soft snores coming from the more muscular form as the smaller silhouette slowly sits up.

“I love you too Gordon...  That’s why I can’t stay here tonight...  I just can’t be strong enough to just watch you leave,” whispered a quiet voice, a door opening to briefly allow a slit of light into the darkness.  Then she was gone, the figure that had been holding her sitting up not moments after she had left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Benny: British slang for temper tantrum.


	3. Horrible Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Please don’t harm me for this chapter. |3;

Staring at the small device in her hands, Jade just had to feel a bit vindictive towards the Gods’ sense of humor.  A week after Ramsay’s departure, she had started getting horribly sick in the mornings at work; making it impossible for her to be of any help during the morning rush.  At a certain point, Sophia Dotello had congratulated her on the coming baby.  An assumption she had hotly denied at the time.  Now, with the evidence in hand, she found her earlier behavior more than a little silly.  If she hadn’t been so afraid of this very inevitability, she would have seen all the signs just as clearly as her elderly boss.  Now she found herself put in a very difficult position.

While she didn’t want to hide the fact she was pregnant from Gordon, she had kinda left him in the lurch his last night in the states.  If she were him, she’d never want to see the person that had done that ever again.  Still, she felt as if the man deserved to know.  It didn’t feel right just to keep it from him, not when he would likely want to be a part of the child’s life somehow.  Yet that didn’t make it any easier to reach out for her phone and put in his number.  Pressing the ringing device to her ear, the nervous receptionist turned cook began to pace the length of her kitchen.  “Gordon,” came a sharp curt reply from the other line as soon as it was picked up.

“A-ah, uh...  I kn-know you don’t want to hear from me right now but...,” she began, her heart trip hammering as she spoke.

“Damn right I don’t!  Do you know what you leaving that night did to me?!” snarled an angry British accent, the harshness of his words making a painful lump form in her throat.

“Gordon...,” she tried, tears streaming down her face as her hand clenched in her shirt just above her heart.

“I don’t want to hear that name from your lips ever again!  In fact, forget I ever gave you my number.  You sure as Hell didn’t give a damn that what you did damaged me beyond any repair,” spat the furious chef before the line went dead, leaving her with what felt like a fissure in her heart.

Sobbing as she sank to her knees on the tile floor, Jade placed a shaky hand on her still flat stomach.  She couldn’t blame him for his anger.  He had handed her his heart on a silver platter and, from his perspective, she had thrown it down on the ground with no regard for how it made him feel.  The reality was she had simply been unable to watch him leave that morning without breaking and hadn’t wanted to cause him pain as a result.  Sniffling as the tears began to flow, the brunette deleted his number from her phone before breaking down entirely.

Ramsay huffed heavily as he glared at the phone in his hands, as if it was responsible for all the pain he had gone through for the past seven days or so.  He had been unable to sleep, unable to eat, unable to even work because of Jade’s decision to leave that night.  He had wanted her with him that morning, not only because he wanted to see her one last time but because he had wanted to initiate a relationship with her.  It would have been long distance at first but he would have been willing to help her immigrate to his country.  He had been looking forward to getting to know her, spending the rest of their lives together, even raising children.  She had thrown all that away with a singular, careless action.  A fact that still rankled him.

Still, under the burning fury and hurt, some part of him was curious about what she had called him for.  After what she had pulled, she would have to have balls of steel to even think of putting in his number.  Yet she hadn’t seemed confidant from the short time they had spoken.  In fact, she seemed terrified; making him curious despite himself.  What reason could Jade have for calling him and, more importantly, why did that reason scare her?  Frown softening as he continued to stare down at the machine in his hand, he felt the strangest urge to call back.  To find out what she had wanted in the first place.  Shrugging it off, the world class chef pocketed the phone; striding off toward the set of MasterChef while straightening his tie.  Whatever was happening was simply no longer his business.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~First Month Blues~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

Four weeks of utter hell, that’s what it was.  Between crying too hard to get out of bed, she was vomiting her guts out in the morning and feeling genuinely miserable.  Thankfully, the Dotellos had been more than understanding; Sophia excusing her from work until she felt better.  Still, she felt bad about taking pay when she wasn’t working.  She felt even worse about the fact one of her bosses took it upon herself to bring her homemade soup.

On top of that, she had a slew of doctor appointments.  Each one of them ordered a new test, checking everything from her blood pressure to her sugar levels.  Thankfully, everything was normal and her child was healthy; making it easier to get through the hellish mornings.  For weeks she had been unable to hold down anything solid, the chicken soup Sophia brought her being the only thing she could truly stomach.

Some days it had been all she could do just to get out of bed, just feeling fed up with being sick as well as alone.  Just thinking about it brought on fresh guilt about what she had done that night, not helping in her endeavors just to go to her kitchen to get something to eat.  Still, she had managed the strength every day, finding it getting easier each time.  Soon she was able to just get up and get the soup that had been left on her table, making her smile at the woman’s kindness.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Second Month Hiccup~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

Going back to work was a huge weight of her shoulders but the next four weeks hadn’t proved any easier than the last.  While the new chef Gordon had brought on was eager to help, Anton still hadn’t let go of the fact that he had been fired.  He had apparently taken over her position while she had been gone, much to his parent’s aggravation.  Both Sophia and Vigo had tried to get him to leave but he had flat out refused, leaving her with quite a mess on her hands as soon as she opened the kitchen door.

To say she had been surprised would be a gross understatement.  She had been downright floored to see the cocky man had the gall to be there on the day he knew she was returning.  It had been then she had called the police, watching as the grown man threw a fit like an overgrown child while being dragged out by four officers.  Things only got worse from there, Anton coming back literally everyday just to disrupt service.  In the end, it had taken Vigo laying down the law with his nearly thirty year old son; threatening to take out a restraining order against his own blood if he didn’t stop coming in.

At long last, that had seemed to be enough to make the man back off; finally allowing her to settle into her role.  That in and of itself proved to be a challenge as she found herself having to get used to having to move at full blast all the time.  With continued advertising, they now had a steady flow of customers for both the Inn and restaurant.  The influx of customers forced her to ramp up her energy to compensate, a pace she found hard to keep at first.  Thankfully, it hadn’t taken too long for her to fall into the rhythm; barking out orders like a michelin star chef as she cooked.  Her similarity to a certain chef wasn’t lost on her and she often smiled a bit bitterly just after chewing out Carlos or one of the new guys.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Third Month Scares~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

Somewhere in the middle of her third month, she started to have cramps every so often; scaring the living daylights out of her.  As she had rushed herself to the hospital, all manner of horrible things ran through her head and she found herself sorely tempted to call Gordon.  Still, after the last time she had tried, she felt a little gun shy.  She honestly didn’t think she could handle being screamed at while possibly losing their child.  So she had pushed away the urge, despite how scared she was.

Thankfully nothing had been wrong, she had just been stressing herself out too much.  As a consequence, the doctor ordered her to lighten her work hours.  At least Sophia and Vigo had been understanding, lightening her load in the kitchen and shifting some of her duties back to the front desk.  Within the first day, it was apparent that this had solved her problem; an inner tension she hadn’t known she had disappearing.  Overall, she was happier; even whistling in the mornings as the guests came in.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Fourth Month Complications~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

The good times weren’t to last, however.  As much as she had wanted to see the last of her problems, the results of her latest blood drive proved otherwise.  Her antibodies were now attacking the baby, something that hadn’t been caught earlier on.  Because of this, she now had to go in for a shot as well as routine check ups every few weeks.  If the treatment failed, she could very well miscarry; the very idea scaring her badly.  Not only did she already love the little bean growing inside her but it was a part of a man she loved even now.

Just the fact she would have something to remind her of him gave her comfort on her hardest days, days that were becoming more and more of a common occurrence.  Despite her outward strong appearance, she was desperately lonely for Gordon.  Even after only knowing the man for two days.  In those days it felt like their souls had connected and she had felt very physical pain in heart the day he left.  She swore she had even known the hour his plane had taken off, suddenly feeling overwhelmed with sadness at ten a.m.  A crippling sorrow that had taken days to lift.

Sighing as she greeted new guests, Jade glanced down at her still flat tummy.  All her wishes wouldn’t undo the hurt she had done by leaving without even a note.  Not to mention the fact she was still unintentionally hiding this child’s existence from Gordon.  If he ever found out, it would shatter the remote hope of him forgiving her for her initial transgression.  Plastering a fake smile on her face, she hoped she could just get through the next few months without completely breaking down.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Fifth Month Cravings~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

As she stared down at the horrifying concoction before her, she couldn’t help but laugh at the expression she pictured Gordon having.  In the bowl on the table she had put chocolate icecream, dill pickles, crunchy Cheetos, topped it with whipped cream and sprinkled some grated parmesan on it.  Such a mixture would have normally made her stomach turn itself in knots.  Now she found herself practically drooling as she picked up a spoon to dig in.  Before now, she had never put much stock into the stories of how strange the cravings could get.

Putting the first spoonful into her mouth and finding she liked it made her an instant believer.  Shaking her head, she ate the entire thing; washing her hands before pulling on her clothes for work.  “If your dad were here, we’d no doubt have him on many a midnight run for us,” Jade sighed, feeling amused despite the vice clamping around her heart.  Resting a hand on the gentle dome of her stomach, she grabbed a coat and made her way out the door.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sixth Month Surprise~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

It happened as she was lounged on her couch, watching a movie designed to make her cry with a bowl of popcorn by her side.  She was raising her sixth handful to her mouth when she felt something that make the fluffy, buttered kernels fall out of her hand as her heart stuttered.  Placing both hands on the still small dome, Jade held her breath as she waited.  Sure enough, she felt a small bump against her hands and was immediately overwhelmed with emotion.  Tears of happiness clogged her throat as she let out a quiet sob, grinning like a fool as she hugged herself.

Unfortunately, this sweet moment was soon overshadowed by the fact Gordon had missed it.  With what she knew about the chef, he had a surprising soft spot for children and likely wanted some of his own some day.  He would have loved to experience this first kick with her, replacing her earlier excitement with a deep sadness as well as guilt.  She desperately wanted him here, to be able to call him with the progress of their growing child.  Unfortunately, her desperation to not see him leave had made her blind to the consequences.  All she could hope was that he wouldn’t came back to their Inn for a check up before she gave birth.  If he saw her in this condition she knew he would feel incredibly betrayed and would unlikely be unable to keep from exploding on camera.

Letting out a watery sigh as she looked down at her swollen womb mournfully, she gave the crest a gentle rub.  “Should I try one more time?  Try to reason with your daddy?” she whispered, tears still streaming down her cheeks.  Her child rolled as if in response to her words, drawing a shaky chuckle from her as she reached for the phone.

“Alright sweetie, but don’t be surprised if he doesn’t answer,” she sighed, pulling up her call history due to the fact she had deleted his number.

Able to remember the date perfectly and not really having used the phone much after, Jade was able to pick out the number easily; pressing the green call button before bringing it the device up to her ear.  After a few rings, there came a rather sleepy but no less angry voice on the other end.  “Jade?  Why the Hell are you still trying to call me?  Didn’t I make it clear I don’t want to hear from you,” snarled a vitriole she had only seen directed at Hell’s Kitchen contestants.  Wincing, she took a slow breath for courage before trying to tell him about their baby.

“I know but this is important, please,” she whispered.

“I don’t care what it is!  I want you to leave me the fuck alone!  If you call again, I will report you to the *bobbies,” snarled his furious baritone before the line went dead and she was left with what remained of her heart.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Seventh Month Successes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

Standing behind the red velvet ribbon and helping the Dotellos hold a giant pair of golden scissors, Jade found herself more than stunned this day had come.  After a lot of hard work and publicity, they were finally doing well enough to warrant a Grand Reopening.  A wiping of the slate if you will.  So she was more than honored her bosses had chosen her to help cut the ribbon.  While she couldn’t deny all her contributions to this day, the humble receptionist still didn’t think she had done nearly enough to warrant such a high honor.

Looking out at the waiting crowd as cameras flashed, she felt her heart swell with pride tinged by sadness.  This was really Gordon’s victory too and if she hadn’t been such a coward he would have been with her today.  Doing her best to hold back the tears that threatened, Jade forced a smile on her face as the huge scissors cut through the ribbon with a ‘snik’; the velvet fabric floating to the ground while confetti and cheers exploded into the air.  Then they were all moving inside, the young brunette heading to the kitchen to help with the rush as best she could.

At seven months pregnant, it was a bit harder for her to move around the kitchen.  Due to this, she had moved to expediter while still having the authority to give orders to her staff.  All in all, a decision that had benefitted everyone.  Still, that didn’t mean she wasn’t looking forward to things going back to normal once the baby was born.  Granted, she would have to take a few weeks off to recover as well as to let her child get old enough to be in a daycare.

While she loved her baby, she simply wasn’t willing to give up her career.  Not when it was just beginning to take off.  It meant she would miss a lot of firsts but it also meant she would be able to support them both as well as make a better future.  Yet, she couldn’t help but wish for Gordon.  He would be more than willing to take time off to care for their child rather than let some stranger do it, something she would honestly be more comfortable with.

 

_ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Eighth Month Shock~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ _

 

She was well into her eighth month and just about to enter her ninth when she got the shock of her life.  Insisting on working until she went into labor, Jade had been handling reception due to the proximity to the phone and had her back turned to the entry when she heard a familiar British baritone greet the chirpy greeter who welcomed guests.  Feeling something freeze inside her, the young woman kept her back turned and prayed to the Gods above that he wouldn’t lose his temper when he recognized her.  “Ah... yes, I’m glad you’re still here.  You’ve always been a loyal worker,” came a baritone from behind, a hint of anger in the tone.

“Y-yeah.  The Dotello’s have always been like family.  L-look... I have s-something I’ve been trying to tell you,” she managed, her voice surprisingly even given how intimidated she felt.  Watching out of the corner of her eye as the cameraman came in for a side shot, Jade felt a bit amused at the utterly stunned expression that came over his face as he lowered the device for a few seconds.

“Whatever it is can wait, yeah?  I’d like a tour of the place to see how its changed,” came the cold reply, the anger becoming more apparent the longer she kept her back to him.

Knowing he probably considered her actions the height of rudeness, she was caught at quite a disadvantage and she shot a desperate glance to the man holding the camera.  Thankfully, he seemed to possess a heart; giving her a small sign before making a few motions to Gordon.  While he was the one with the camera, the chef was the one who called all the shots.  If he stopped recording without permission, it could very well be his job.  Unfortunately for both of them, the blonde chose to ignore the two of them.  “Why aren’t you turning to face me?  Are you, perhaps, feeling a bit guilty for what you did?  Ashamed to even look me in the eye?” he hissed, keeping his voice pitched low as he made a quick cutting motion across his throat to his underling.

Giving a relieved nod, Dave switched off the heavy recording device; setting it on the floor before looking from his boss to the receptionist.  Unsure of what to do, he once again looked at the woman for any direction she may give him.  “I-its not that.  Its just that...  It has a lot to do with why I tried to contact you.  If I turn around... I just don’t think its a good idea until I have a chance to say my piece,” she sighed, giving the man a small shake of her head.  As much as she appreciated his concern, she had to get out of this mess on her own.  It would only make things worse if he heard it from another person first.

“Fine but you could at least have the courtesy to look me in the eye when you speak to me,” growled the furious star behind her, making her shiver slightly as goosebumps appeared on her arms.  Unfortunately it was also at this point a very faint band of pressure began to bloom in her lower back.

Eyes going wide as her hands flew to the crest of her stomach, she shot a semi-panicked glance to the cameraman.  She wasn’t encouraged when he went pale as well while looking very confused about what he should do.  “Th-there’s a good reason for it...  I won’t ask you to trust me so I’ll just say it out loud.  That last night with me, you left a little something behind.  Something I tried to tell you about twice but you made it very clear we couldn’t have a civil conversation.  I’m eight months pregnant chef,” she whispered, closing her eyes as she braced for the storm; praying to the Gods above that her labor wasn’t starting right this moment.

Thankfully, the pressure was fading for the moment as dead silence came from behind her.  She could almost feel the waves of fury and disbelief hitting her, making her heart hurt as she felt her last hopes die.  He didn’t believe her, she could already tell before he even opened his mouth.  “You expect me to believe it’s mine?  Before that night happened, I would have believed you but you aren’t the person I thought you were.  For all I know, you could have been sleeping with that bugger Anton,” came an accusation she hadn’t entirely expected.

Flinching as if physically hit, Jade let out a shuddery sigh; turning to face her ex as the band of pressure in the small of her back returned.  Putting her professional mask in place, the injured woman gave him her best lowly receptionist smile while the pressure slowly progressed outward from her back to her sides.  “Like before, your rooms are complementary Mr. Ramsay.  I’m sure you can make your own way up.  As you can see, it would be hard for me to assist you in my condition,,” she announced, handing him the keycard as if he hadn’t said something devastatingly hurtful to her.  Still, she could help but notice his eyes had landed on her large stomach; his expression morphing between extreme anger and hurt.

Then he was signaling Dave to continue filming, reaching forward to take the card as he pursed his lips.  Without another word, he was heading toward the elevator.  It was only when he was gone that she allowed herself to break, sobs pouring out of her as quietly as she could manage as she slid to her knees.  Hearing her distress, Rebecca and Beth came from the back to see if everything was okay; swarming around her when they saw her state.  Waving them off, Jade sniffled as she tried to control the pain raging through her chest while pressure slowly receded once again.  Fairly certain she was now in the early stages of labor, the stressed woman tottered to her feet; reaching for some tissues to wipe her face with.  “I’m fine, go back to the kitchen.  We’ll have a rush any moment now,” she advised, giving them a smile despite the terror ripping its way through her heart.

Thankfully the pair left, giving her some time to get herself together.  She could very well have hour before she was going to give birth.  There was no reason she had to cause a scene during Gordon’s revisit.  Besides, it was no doubt expected of her to be his guide, given the fact she had been the one to lead him around last time.  All she could really hope was that she was right and she wouldn’t be giving the audience of Hotel Hell a real show.  Last thing she wanted was to be known as the first person in the history of the world to give birth live on TV.

A few minutes later, Gordon was coming back down with Dave in tow.  His blonde hair was impeccably brushed, his own professional mask firmly in place as he gave a nod.  “Tell me how this place has done while we walk around the kitchen,” he suggested, his eyes cold as they travelled to her belly as if on instinct.  It seemed some part of him might believe her, even if he would never admit it.  Finding some comfort in that fact, Jade gave him her own nod in response; her pleasant smile in place as she came out from behind the counter to lead the way.

“We’re almost always full now and our kitchen works better than ever.  Unfortunately I had to take a step back from the head chef position temporarily but I’m still in there everyday, making sure they get out the food our customers have come to expect,” she declared, her voice proud and steady despite the fact the pressure was back again.  This time it was winding all the way around her lower tummy and she had to struggle to act like nothing was wrong as they continued to the kitchen.

The sight the chef was greeted to made his jaw drop, all the anger on his wrinkled face leaving for frank astonishment.  Every person in the tight room acted like a gear in a well oiled machine, calling out times and making sure to communicate with one another about delays.  It was like watching a kitchen that had worked together for decades, not just a matter of months.  “Darling... this is just incredible.  You managed to do all this while pregnant?” he slipped, his wonder still over riding the hurt he felt.

“Yes, I wanted to see this place succeed.  Like I said before, I love the Dotellos like family and its important to me that they start having a better life,” she whispered, fighting the urge to lean against the wall as the pressure began to grow in to a light cramp that was low in her womb.  Things were coming along a lot faster than she had thought they would and she was beginning to wonder if she would have to excuse herself to call an ambulance.

As much as it mortified her to know that all of the ensuing drama would be caught on camera for everyone to see, Jade knew she wouldn’t have much choice if things continued.  Still hoping it was just braxton hicks, she stood back to watch as her former lover wandered the kitchen to observe her small crew.  Once he was satisfied, the TV celebrity was giving her an odd look; seeming perplexed about something as he came back to her to continue the tour.  “I take it you also handled the advertising campaign,” he stated, seeming to loom over her as his vibrant eyes seemed to search hers for something.

“Of course.  I had to make sure everything would run smoothly,” she responded, letting out a small sigh of relief as the pain slowly ebbed away; leaving only a small spot of pressure in her lower back.

Something in the overpowering Brit softened and he seemed to sag somewhat as his brow crinkled slightly.  Suddenly, he was taking her upper arm; practically dragging her behind him as he made his way to the elevators.  The unfortunate camera man behind them got the door closed in his face, the metal cube heading upward at a leisurely pace.  Staring at the man next to her as if he had gone insane, Jade did her best to calm the heart racing in her chest; yet another pain washing over her gravid body.

To make things worse, the agitated chef didn’t say a single word on the way up; merely pulled her to his room.  Ushering her inside, he shut and locked the door; running an unsteady hand through his frosted hair as he began to pace.  Every so often, his blue eyes would fixate on her jutting tummy; pursing his lips as he made a strange noise while he continued his movement.  “Why di’ yae leave tha’ night?” he barked out, his scottish brogue thick as he moved like some caged animal.

“I... I didn’t want to watch you leave.  I wouldn’t have been able to bear it.  I wasn’t strong enough not to just break down, making it harder for you to leave,” she explained, staying in place as she watched him.

“Yae couldnae leave a note?!  Somethin’ ta tell where ya’d gone an’ why?  The way ya lef’ made mae think...,” he growled, stopping to close his fiery eyes and take a deep breath.  When he reopened the blazing orbs, he seemed calmer but no less hurt.

“You made me feel like I had been lied to.  That I really was nothing but a notch on your belt.  But... seeing everything you’ve done, are continuing to do...  You’re still the caring woman I first assumed you were.  Now I find out my own anger almost prevented me from... from seeing my own child,” he continued, falling back into his normal accent as all the fire seemed to bleed out of him.  Shaking his head, he ran a hand through his hair again as he seemed torn between staying where he was or rushing to her to feel the new being he had helped create.

“I never meant for you to feel that way.  I didn’t stop to think about anything.  I just... I had to get out of there...  I’m... I’m so sorry chef.  I-I tried to tell you but...,” she whispered, closing her eyes as another pain washed over her, this one much harder to ignore than the rest.  The baby inside also seemed to be sitting lower inside her, pressing harder against her pelvis the longer the pains went on.

Still, she had no time to think about that; Gordon shaking his head as he closed the distance rapidly.  A large, burn scarred hand landed on the crest of her stomach, a soft breath leaving him when he felt the hardness of her flesh.  “You’re in labor,” he breathed, his voice sounding almost stunned as his eyes met her guilty gaze.

“J-just the early stages,” she stammered, letting out a gasp as it felt like someone had clamped a vice around her pregnant dome.  Gordon only grimaced, pulling out his phone to punch in a number.

“Yeah, I have a pregnant woman here who appears to be in labor.  She’s just about nine months along and a little bit premature,” he growled out, moving the hand on her belly to her lower back so he could steer her to the bed he would be using for the night.

She was just about to the edge of the mattress when she felt something inside her snap, water pattering onto the floor between her legs in a torrent.  Feeling her cheeks heat with a blush as fear stilled her heart, Jade looked up to see her former lover had a horrified expression on his wrinkled face.  “Her water just broke,” he announced, his voice a dull deadpan despite the terror blooming in his cerulean orbs.  Everything that happened from there happened fairly quickly.

In a whirl, she found herself on the bed; Gordon returning from the bathroom with a pile of towels.  Still holding the phone to his ear, he motioned to her to remove her maternity jeans; spreading a few towels where her butt would rest.  Nodding as he listened to the person on the other end, Gordon gave the address of the hotel as well as their room number.  Then he was hanging up, all his earlier fear fading for a dead seriousness.  “Alright luv, they’re on the way.  Just relax for me and try to get comfortable,” he reassured, looking no more worried than he would cooking a five star dish.

Feeling more than a little confused about where this confidence was coming from, Jade nodded as she moved to do as he had asked; removing the clothes on her lower body in a singular movement.  “Take in a deep breath and spread your legs for me.  I need to see what’s going on here,” Ramsay demanded, giving her a reassuring smile when she followed his directions without hesitation.  After taking a quick look, he was nodding before leaning over her prone body to press a kiss to her clammy forehead.

“Push on your next pain darling.  Our child is eager to see this world,” purred his voice as the next contraction washed over her.

Giving a nod as apprehension filled her, the laboring reception pushed as hard as she could; Gordon holding her legs for her as he counted.  After he reached twelve, she sagged backward; the burn in her womanhood nearly overwhelming as she tried to gather her strength.  “Yaer crownin’ lass.  Jus’ a bi’ moar naow,” burred a brogue from between her legs as the next wave came relentlessly.  Crying out as pain and pressure filled her world, Jade surged forward and pushed, pushed, pushed.  Then she felt something come free, filled with a vague relief as she fell backward once again.

“Gewd gel,” came a husky purr, something turning within her and causing some discomfort.  Then the next contraction was coming and she was pushing, gritting her teeth as she felt something large begin to emerge from her opening.

Giving a strangled yell, Jade gasped when she felt the first shoulder pop free; quickly followed by the other one.  Laying back as sweat poured down her strained face, the receptionist fought to catch her breath as her body tingled with anticipation.  Something inside her sensed she was almost done and she almost felt giddy from the thought of it.  As the final spasm clenched her belly, she pushed with a singular goal;shuddering as she felt her child pulled from her.  Falling to the mattress, Jade panted as she lifted her head to watch Gordon rub their blood covered baby with a rough towel.

Those few seconds of silence were small eternities of horror, each beat of her heart seeming to hurt more the longer they ticked by.  Then a shriek was filling the room, drawing a shaky sob of joy from her as she reached out her arms.  “A boy,” Gordon announced in a voice thick with emotion, his eyes filled with tears as he gazed down at the screaming boy.  Then he was handing the newborn to his mother, sitting on the bed beside her as she guided the babe’s mouth to a milk laden breast.  Wincing as she pushed out the afterbirth, Jade gave a tired smile to the man beside her; vaguely aware of sirens approaching from downstairs.

“Thank you.  I’ll have to ask you how you knew what to do some time,” she whispered, her voice hoarse as their child began to eat his first meal.

“When you live on a farm, you pick up some things.  Besides, we have much more important things to discuss.  Like when you’re moving to Britain,” he whispered, kissing her temple as a knock came from the door.

As he moved to open it for the paramedics, she couldn’t help but be astonished at what he had said.  Just like that, he was willing to forgive her.  Love for the man welling up inside her, she began to cry happy tears while the medics loaded her and her newborn onto a stretcher before taking her out.  Gordon followed close behind, his eyes never leaving the pair as the cameraman finally caught up to them.  Ramsay, not missing a beat, grinned into the device.  “Met my new son and my future wife,” he announced before they were leaving Dave behind and no doubt baffling millions of viewers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_The End_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Bobbies: British slang for cops


End file.
